It's a Beautiful World

A Life's Work "None of us are defined by our circumstances, nor are we defined by how other people perceive us. It is up to each one of us to define ourselves, and that is a life's work." "Each of us has the ability to lead a dynamic life by pursuing our unique goals and dreams. There are no limits to what we can do." the whole world is an opportunity; it is our work to make our imprints on the highway of life. an unlimited advantage chosen by a select few, not of power and money, fame, nor fortune. the select few never try to prove themselves, for they know who they are they are confident, not pretentious. they know where they come from and they know where they're going they are at peace with themselves and their surroundings they are whole and complete.

We all meet different kinds of people in life. People come and go, but there are some we seem to have a hard time saying goodbye to especially those who made an impact in our life and those who connect and maintain the community that God wants us to have. One of the people I treasure in my heart is Sister Mary O'Donnell , who was my partner in educating the young children (Grade 6 and Grade 7) at the parish of St. Robert's Church in San Bruno, California from 1995 to 2001. We were on the phone the other day, and it saddened me to hear that she will be going back to Ireland for good, to spend the rest of her retirement days in her home country. It was hard to contain myself, without sounding so downhearted.

It is not affiliated with SFMOMA which is the S an F rancisco M useum O f M odern A rt in the city. It stands for M others O f M ercy A lums , a newly formed club for mothers whose daughters are alumnae of Mercy High School in Burlingame , California. Mercy High School in Burlingame is a catholic, college preparatory high school situated on a hill at the Kohl Mansion, a historic building formerly owned by Bessie and Frederic Kohl in 1912. This remarkable place was the spotlight of many memorable events that took place during the four years my daughter, Christina Kho , endeavored in high school. It will also be the venue for the first wine and cheese event for the MOMA on Friday, May 4, 2007 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. There were countless activities and events in one schoolyear . We had the open house, the father-daughter dance night, phonathon night, mexican night, soup night, musical night, christmas fair night, etc. Many meaningful friendships were developed during those years.

Some of you might be wondering what Machu Picchu is, and some of you might already know what it is. But for those who do not, it is a well preserved pre-columbian Inca ruin located at 7,970 feet on a mountain ridge located at the Urabamba Valley in Peru. The decor was modest, with huge paintings of local Peruvian sceneries, artifacts, a map of South America, clearly showing Peru's geographical location, and a flag displayed at the front of the restaurant with the Machu Picchu Peruvian Restaurant sign in San Mateo, California. For appetizers, we had the mouth-watering Ceviche de Mariscos , a seafood mix marinated in fresh lemon juice with sliced onions, sweet potato and corn, followed by Antichucos , cubed beef heart marinated in a very special peruvian sauce in skewers (with just the perfect timing of cooking ) so tender and delicious. Lomo Saltado,juicy strips of beef loin sauteed in tomatoes, onions, and sweet potato fries for our main course, followed by sips of Chicha Morada

I regret the days when I was oblivious to the times when my mother, my aunts and uncles, godparents, older cousins, would tell me stories about our family history. I wish I could go back in time and bring back those days, but no matter what I do, they will only be memories. For my mother, my aunts and uncles, my godparents, my older cousins have all passed away. They are all gone now, but the memories of those stories will live. I am committed to preserving those stories about our family heritage, for my children to know. I want my children to get to know their mother, where she came from, and what her life was before them. I want my children to have a written memoir of their family history and heritage, because nothing and no one lasts forever..